Beacon signaling devices

ABSTRACT

An improved beacon signaling device having an effective balance between signal brightness and color identification is provided by placing transparent apertures on the colored housing enclosing the light producing assembly of such beacons so that light passing through the transparent apertures retains its original brightness while light passing through the colored areas of the housing have reduced brightness but retained color identity.

United States Patent 1 J aeger Mar. 27, 1973 [54] BEACON SIGNALING DEVICES [7 5] Inventor: Robert 0. Jaeger, Palatine, 111.

[73] Assignee: Unity Manufacturing Co., Chicago,

Ill.

[22] Filed: Dec. 9, 1969 [21] Appl. No.: 883,430

[52] US. Cl. ..245/46.59, 340/50, 340/84 [51] Int. Cl. ..F21v 9/08 [58] Field of Search ..240/10.l, 46.57, 46.59, 49,

1,784,704 12/1930 Morton ..240/49 2,443,510 6/1948 McCallum..... .240/10 1 2,636,110 4/1953 Stein 240/46.19 2,738,492 3/1956 Arneson et al. ....340/87 3,979,601 4/1961 McClees ..240/1.3 2,996,607 8/1961 Witt ..240/7.1 3,117,302 1/1964 Cardarel1i.. .340/50 2,784,303 3/1957 Heiser ..240/7.1 2,092,664 911937 Bray 340/321 3 ,271 ,735 9/ 1 966 Gosswiller ..340/50 Primary Examine r.1ames J. Gill AttorneyHume, Clement, Hume and Lee [57] ABSTRACT An improved beacon signaling device having an effective balance between signal brightness and color identification is provided by placing transparent apertures on the colored housing enclosing the light producing assembly of such beacons so that light passing through the transparent apertures retains its original brightness while light passing through the colored areas of the housing have reduced brightness but retained color identity.

7 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures BEACON SIGNALING DEVICES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to signaling devices used on police, fire, ambulance, and other emergency equipment, and more particularly, to beacon signaling devices which emit bright, attention-attracting light signals, and yet retain their color identification.

It is well known that emergency vehicles require an effective signaling device capable of warning pedestrians and motorists when emergency situations arise and, more importantly of assuring the right of way for emergency vehicles. Studies of light signaling devices used in emergency equipment show that effective warning is best accomplished by signaling devices which combine a brilliant visual light signal with high color identification.

Color identification is highly desirable in light signaling devices because red, blue, and amber colored light signals have long become associated with police, fire, ambulance, and other emergency equipment. Signal brightness, on the other hand, is desirable to provide improved visibility in the emergency area or in areas where high speed travel requires greater beam distance.

One known approach to the problem of providing a bright signal without sacrificing color identification has involved the use of rotary beacons having a colored dome or housing which encloses a series of high intensity rotating sealed beam lamps. Although such lamps are typically available in a variety of colors, uncolored lamps are normally employed when the housing enclosing the lamp is colored. The major shortcoming of this approach, however, is that the poor light transmission ability of colored housings tend to reduce the natural brilliance and intensity of the light signal emitted from the beacon by as much as 85 per cent of candlepower output of the lamps.

Consequently, a second approach to the problem of combining brilliant signals and high color identification has evolved. In this second approach, colored rather than uncolored lamps are enclosed in clear or transparent housings. The difficulty with this second approach, however, is that it also provides a relatively low intensity signal produced by the beacon because of the natural filtering effect of the colored lamp. At the same time, the use of a transparent housing surrounding colored lamps results in poor color identification.

A third approach to the problem utilizes the combination of both colored and clear lamps housed within a clear or transparent dome. As in the other cases, however, this third approach is equally ineffective because the clear lamps tend to overpower the colored lamps and, thus, the ultimate signal received from the beacon has a brilliance proportional to the number of colored lamps used. In addition, such beacons have poor color identification because of the use of a transparent dome.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention obviates many of the difficulties of known beacon signaling devices by providing a colored aperture on the housing used to enclose the light producing assembly. In a typical beacon constructed from a base, a light producing assembly and a colored housing mounted on the base and enclosing the light producing assembly, an improved housing is provided in which a circumferentially disposed transparent aperture is used to divide the housing surface into separate colored areas and a transparent area or areas interposed between colored areas. In this way, light emitted from the light producing assembly and passed through the transparent apertures retains its original brightness while light passing through the colored areas of the housing have greatly reduced brightness. Thus, an observer standing near the beacon will receive a bright signal as a result of the light passing through the transparent apertures and, at the same time, be able to readily identify the color of the beacon because of light passing through the colored areas of the housing.

In various embodiments of this invention, the light producing assembly enclosed within the beacon housing is made up of a plurality of rotating sealed beam lamps having a light source, an integral parabolic reflector used to provide direction for light emitted from the light source and a lens enclosing the reflector to control the ultimate light beam pattern. When such a plurality of rotating sealed beam lamps are used as the light producing assembly, the circumferentially disposed transparent aperture is I desirably confined within the area on the surface of the beacon housing corresponding to the curvature of the parabolic reflec- V tor.

beacon which effectively balances the desired proper- In still other embodiments of this invention, a plurality of spaced, circurnferentially disposed transparent apertures are provided on the beacon housing and are confined within the area on the surface of the housing corresponding to the curvature of the parabolic reflector. In addition, housings having two spaced transparent apertures and vertically oriented apertures are also provided for use in various embodiments of this invention.

Of course, one result of this invention is that beacons can now be provided which assure an adequate balance between color identification and signal brightness. In addition, the beacons of this invention allow sufficient light to pass through the transparent apertures to assure signal detection by observers standing at various positions around the beacon. At the same time, the beacon of this invention provides improved visibility and improved surveillance capability without the necessity for continuously using spotlights to brighten an area.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one form of the beacon signaling apparatus suitable for practicing this invention; and

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the beacon signaling apparatus with a portion of the outer housing or dome broken away.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIG. 1 shows a beacon signaling apparatus 10 connected to the roof of an emergency vehicle and held in place by means of a suitable mounting connection (not shown). The beacon broadly comprises a metal base 11, a light producing assembly carried by the base, and an outer housing 12 which is mounted on base 11 and fully encloses the light producing assembly. As can be seen in both FIGS. 1 and 2, outer housing 12 is provided with circumferentially disposed transparent apertures 13 which divide the housing into a series of separate colored areas 14. Consequently, light emitted from the light producing assembly enclosed within housing 12 and passing through transparent apertures 13 retains its original brightness and intensity, while light passing through the colored areas 14 of the housing are transmitted at a reduced brightness or intensity.

Outer housing 12, often referred to as a dome, is typically constructed from a clear durable plastic material such as arcylic or polycarbonate plastics. The clear plastic housing 11 is colored by applying a heat resistant, pigmented lacquer material to the interior of the housing. For most end uses, either red, blue, or amber colored housings are desired. The transparent apertures 13 are made by merely masking preselected portions of the housing prior to application of the colored lacquer material. Thus, the pattern, size, and spacing of the apertures can be varied to achieve any desired balance of color identification and signal brightness for various beacon signaling assemblies.

In one embodiment of this invention, the light source carried by base 11 is constructed from a single or plurality of rotatable sealed beam lamps 16 as shown in FIG. 2. Although any standard sealed beam lamp can be used as a light source in this invention, lamps generating a candle-power of at least 35,000 are desirable to insure an effective signal. Each sealed beam lamp is an integral light producing unit in itself consisting mainly of a light source 15 contained in a hermetically sealed enclosure, an integral parabolic reflector 17 provided to direct the light emitted from the light source, and a circular lens 18 formed at the outermost portion of the enclosure to provide a controlled light beam pattern from the lamp. Most standard lamps are available in a wide variety of beam patterns and intensities that can be varied by the choice of light source and lens configuration. The enclosure and lens 18 are typically constructed from a heat resistant, borosilicate type glass. Likewise, parabolic reflector 17 normally has an aluminized or glass-silvered inner reflecting surface to provide easy reflection of light emitted from the light source.

In selecting a particular light beam pattern emitted from sealed beam lamp 16, one must first determine whether an oval-shaped or circular pattern is desired. If a circular pattern is desired, then a lamp providing a horizontal by 5 vertical spread is used; and if an ovalshaped pattern is desired, a lamp providing a 5 hroizontal by vertical spread is normally selected. After a suitable lamp 16 has been selected, the size and spacing of transparent apertures 13 are established to provide a balance between the widest viewing angle of transmitted light from the beacon, the brightest signal and the highest degree of color identity for the beacon signaling device.

It has been found, for example, that the best balance of wide viewing angle, signal brightness, and retained color identity for beacons using sealed beam lamps is achieved when the circumferentially disposed. transparent apertures 13 on housing 12 are confined within the area on the housing surface which corresponds to the curvature of parabolic reflector 17. An even better balance is attained, however, by spacing apertures 13 across the axis of the parabolic reflector 17 as shown in FIG. 2. This further improved balance results from the reduction in the ratio of colored areas to transparent areas on the housing surface with the consequent improvement in color identification. In addition, the use of two spaced transparent apertures 13 provides a wider vertical beam pattern coming from both the upper and lower portions of reflector 17. When transparent apertures 13 are not confined within the housing area corresponding to the curvature of the parabolic reflector, a sharp decrease in the overall signal brightness received from the beacon occurs.

The width of apertures 13 is adjusted to balance signal brightness and retained color identification. As the overall ratio of colored areas 14 to transparent areas 13 is increased, color identification, of course, is increased. Thus, it is possible by the practice of this invention to provide a beacon signaling device which transmits the fullest candlepower available from the light producing source without overpowering or losing color identification.

Although only horizontal, circumferentially disposed transparent apertures are shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, it should be understood that spaced vertically oriented apertures confined within the area on housing 12 corresponding to the curvature of reflector 17 can also be used in the practice of this invention. When vertically oriented apertures are used, spacing and aperture width become even more important considerations since it is desirable that observers of the beacon standing at any point around the beacon receive a light signal. Thus, for example, widely spaced vertically oriented apertures will cause areas around the beacon to be blocked from the light signal passing through the apertures. Moreover, vertically orientally apertures are slightly more difficult to fabricate and, thus, are not as desirable as horizontal, circumferentially disposed apertures.

In other embodiments of this invention, the light source carried by base 11 is one or more stationary, high intensity strobe type lights. Typically, these strobe type light sources emit a high intensity, short-duration, intermittent flash of light similar to a photoflash tube. When such light producing sources are employed in the practice of this invention, the arrangement, spacing, and size of the transparent apertures in housing 12 are much less critical. The apertures, for example, are usually placed on the surface of the housing in a position corresponding to the areas of highest light intensity so that a high brightness signal is emitted from the beacon. Of course, the size and spacing of the transparent apertures is adjusted to yield the brightest, most effective light signal without destroying color'identification.

1 claim:

1. In a beacon signaling device comprising a base, a light producing means adapted to provide an intense beam of white light and a colored cylindrical outer housing mounted on said base and enclosing said light producing means, the improvement comprising said outer housing having at least one ring shaped circumferentially disposed transparent aperture dividing said housing into separate colored sections whereby light emitted from said light producing means and passing through said transparent aperture has substantially greater brightness and intensity than light passing through said colored sections of said outer housing.

2. A beacon signaling device as defined in claim 1 wherein said light producing means is a plurality of rotating sealed beam lamps each having a light source, an integral parabolic reflector and a lens, said lamps each providing a 5 horizontal by vertical spread of light and wherein said outer housing is provided with at least two circumferentially disposed transparent apertures confined within circumferential area on the surface of said housing corresponding to the curvature of the parabolic reflector.

3. A beacon signaling device as defined in claim 2 wherein one of said transparent apertures is disposed above the axis of said parabolic reflector and the other of said transparent apertures is disposed an equal distance below the axis of said parabolic reflector thereby providing a balance between signal brightness, wide viewing angle and color identification.

4. A beacon signaling device as defined in claim 1 wherein said light producing means emits high intensity, short-duration, intermittent flashes of light.

5. In a beacon signaling device comprising a base, a plurality of rotatable sealed beam lamps each having a light source adapted to provide an intense beam of light, an integral parabolic reflector and a lens, said lamps each providing a 5 horizontal by 10 vertical spread of light, and an outer housing mounted on said base and enclosing said sealed beam lamps, the improvement comprising said outer housing having a plurality of spaced, ring shaped, circumferentially disposed transparent apertures to divide said housing into a plurality of colored and transparent areas, whereby light emitted from said lamps and passing through said transparent areas retains its original brightness and intensity and light passing through said colored areas has a substantially reduced brightness, said apertures being spaced so as to provide a balance between signal brightness and color identification.

6. A beacon signaling device as defined in claim 5 wherein said transparent apertures are positioned on the surface of said housing so as to fall within the circumferential area on said surface corresponding to the curvature of said parabolic reflector.

7. A beacon signaling device as defined in claim 6 wherein said housing is provided with two transparent apertures, one of said apertures being disposed above the axis of said parabolic reflector and the other of said apertures being disposed an equal distance below the axis of said reflector. 

1. In a beacon signaling device comprising a base, a light producing means adapted to provide an intense beam of white light and a colored cylindrical outer housing mounted on said base and enclosing said light producing means, the improvement comprising said outer housing having at least one ring shaped circumferentially disposed transparent aperture dividing said housing into separate colored sections whereby light emitted from said light producing means and passing through said transparent aperture has substantially greater brightness and intensity than light passing through said colored sections of said outer housing.
 2. A beacon signaling device as defined in claim 1 wherein said light producing means is a plurality of rotating sealed beam lamps each having a light source, an integral parabolic reflector and a lens, said lamps each providing a 5* horizontal by 10* vertical spread of light and wherein said outer housing is provided with at least two circumferentially disposed transparent apertures confined within circumferential area on the surface of said housing corresponding to the curvature of the parabolic reflector.
 3. A beacon signaling device as defined in claim 2 wherein one of said transparent apertures is disposed above the axis of said parabolic reflector and the other of said transparent apertures is disposed an equal distance below the axis of said parabolic reflector thereby providing a balance between signal brightness, wide viewing angle and color identification.
 4. A beacon signAling device as defined in claim 1 wherein said light producing means emits high intensity, short-duration, intermittent flashes of light.
 5. In a beacon signaling device comprising a base, a plurality of rotatable sealed beam lamps each having a light source adapted to provide an intense beam of light, an integral parabolic reflector and a lens, said lamps each providing a 5* horizontal by 10* vertical spread of light, and an outer housing mounted on said base and enclosing said sealed beam lamps, the improvement comprising said outer housing having a plurality of spaced, ring shaped, circumferentially disposed transparent apertures to divide said housing into a plurality of colored and transparent areas, whereby light emitted from said lamps and passing through said transparent areas retains its original brightness and intensity and light passing through said colored areas has a substantially reduced brightness, said apertures being spaced so as to provide a balance between signal brightness and color identification.
 6. A beacon signaling device as defined in claim 5 wherein said transparent apertures are positioned on the surface of said housing so as to fall within the circumferential area on said surface corresponding to the curvature of said parabolic reflector.
 7. A beacon signaling device as defined in claim 6 wherein said housing is provided with two transparent apertures, one of said apertures being disposed above the axis of said parabolic reflector and the other of said apertures being disposed an equal distance below the axis of said reflector. 